Wrist Phantom Model for Biomedical Imaging Applications

Wrist Phantom Model for Biomedical Imaging Applications

PROJECT NUMBER: 44 | AUTHOR: Rachel Lumnitzer​, Electrical Engineering

MENTOR: Atef Elsherbeni, Electrical Engineering

ABSTRACT

Debye modeling of dispersive, biological tissues allows for the numerical analysis of electromagnetic waves interaction with the human body using a dispersive formulation of the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method. This paper focuses on electromagnetic analysis of antennas placed on a human wrist using the three-term Debye coefficients previously compiled for MURF 2020. The MRI scans of the human wrist tissues are colorized and discretized at a 2 mm resolution. The wrist tissues are then identified by Debye coefficients within the dispersive FDTD formulation for predicting the performance of the attached microstrip antenna using simulations. To determine the effect of the biological tissues on the antenna characteristics, the simulations of a dual band antenna (2.4 and 5.8 GHz) while in free space and when it is placed on the wrist model are performed. Results show that strong influence of the human tissues on the original design and led to un-operational antenna. This simulation process that includes human tissue model is therefore very beneficial to re-tune the antenna design to continue to work while attached to a human wrist. The developed tissue model and its integration in a FDTD simulation tool will help in many other wearable antenna applications.

PRESENTATION

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Rachel is majoring in Electrical Engineering graduating with her BS degree in May 2021. She conducts undergraduate research for the Electrical Engineering Department within the ARC research group with Dr. Atef Elsherbeni. Her research focuses on the electromagnetic wave interaction with human tissues. She will begin her MS degree in Fall 2021 and her thesis will likely focus on biomedical applications of antennas and wireless communication.